Rose’s childhood has been plagued by nightmares in which she dies “in different, terrifying ways.” Then there’s the near-death experience: She’s nearly hit by a truck and saved just in time by a beautiful boy whom no one else saw. Her insistence that he was real leads to her becoming a viral spectacle, exacerbating her feelings of alienation. So, after high school, Rose wants to get as far away from Irvine, California, as possible. This drive to escape leads her to Payen University in Massachusetts, where everything is redolent with cozy, historical atmosphere; she even enjoys the drizzly weather. Rose is startled to encounter her mysterious rescuer on campus, but he insists he’s never seen her before and tries to keep his distance. Still, she pursues him, feeling an inexplicable connection. Cross’ debut, which centers on two white-presenting leads, is filled with yearning and desire and will appeal to fans of The Vampire Diaries and Twilight. The tale offers different twists on typical vampiric lore. After being thrown into the world of the paranormal, Rose is forced to contemplate her place within it even as she faces life-threatening danger. Short chapters accentuate the fast pace, and the setting evokes spine-tingling autumnal and winter chills.